1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for stripping meat from the exremities of poultry, particularly from leg parts such as thighs, drumsticks or the like, which comprise a bone at least partially surrounded by meat, of turkeys or chickens, the apparatus comprising means for axially advancing the leg part to be processed, whilst engaging the bone in a centring manner in the vicinity of the proximal joint, as well as means for retaining the meat during the advancing, whilst radially embracing the bone.
2. Prior Art
From U.S. Pat. No. 3,672,000 there is known a machine for the automatic deboning of poultry thighs, in which the thigh bone is seized by one of its joint heads or condyles located at its ends by a holding member and the meat is stripped by means of scraping blades applied directly behind said holding member whilst moving the same in the longitudinal direction of the bone.
From U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,572 there is known an apparatus operating in a similar manner. The final operation in the case of said apparatus is the separation of the sinews and tissue parts still securing the meat following the stripping from the condyle at the free end of the thigh bone.
Finally, an apparatus can be taken from U.S. Pat. No. 4,446,600 in which the thigh bone is slid out.
3. Objects of the Invention
The main object of the present invention is to improve the last-mentiondd apparatus by reducing mechanical expenditure and increasing efficiency.